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'Safeguard' Joins War Against Crime! ‘SAFEGUARD’ WAR AGAINST CRIME!
Safeguard, the motorhome & caravan insurance division of the Swinton group, has joined forces with a new National Crime-Fighting organisation in the war against caravan and motorhome theft. With over 2,500 stolen caravans & 600 stolen motorhomes currently in circulation, Safeguard will work closely with ACPO Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) to tackle the problem.
These startling figures have revealed the full extent of the number of stolen caravans and motorhomes currently in circulation in the UK, leaving new owners of pre-owned vehicles often unaware of the illegal status of their purchase. This fact is of great concern not only to owners who have had their caravans stolen but also those who might unwittingly buy a stolen vehicle and as a result not be the legal owners.
Detective Inspector Paul Lambotte, Operations Manager at AVCIS says, “AVCIS is committed to working with the community and industry to reduce the opportunities for leisure sector crime through partnership and cooperation.
We hope to develop techniques and strategies to enable a structured approach to this area of criminality, by actively engaging in partnership with the leisure industry, trade bodies, and the insurance industry in preventing and detecting this form of criminality.
When purchasing motor homes and caravans care should be taken to ensure that the vehicle is what it is purporting to be. Check Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN), Road Fund Licences (Tax Disc). Do not hand over cash in car parks, service stations etc. Always consider having the vehicle examined before purchase. Ask to see supporting documentation, such as receipts for repair, service records etc. Never take anything on face value. If it is cheap and too good to be true it probably is too good to be true.
Remember it is possible for a stolen vehicle to have its identity changed and still be sold with genuine documentation which relates to the registration number. The physical vehicle itself may be stolen and will be representing itself as another. It may have had the VIN changed in some form.”
Rita Sadler, manager of Safeguard says, “In the last six months alone we have assisted Lancashire Police in tracking down as many stolen vehicles as we have in the whole of the last five years. Now with the formation of the national ACPO Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service we hope to continue in helping this vital country-wide service.
We feel very strongly about the issue because whilst many of vehicles are shipped abroad a significant number are recycled to be sold illegally on the UK mainland market. This means that there are many people new to the world of motor home and caravanning whose first experience might be unwittingly spending their money on stolen goods!”
Safeguard also recommends that all potential purchasers of pre-owned vehicles contact the Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme (CRIS) where they can check the serial number against a register which can identify whether the seller is indeed the owner of the vehicle. Motorhomes, meanwhile, can also be checked via MINDER. All new motorhomes sold since 2001 carry a unique Motorhome Identification Number (MIN), a seventeen digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and their Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM).
Once purchased the safe and secure storage of you caravan when not in use is paramount. According to CaSSOA (Caravan Storage Site Owners Association) less than 5% of caravan thefts take place from secured locations. Storage in conjunction with immobilisers reduces the chances of theft even more.
Safeguard is celebrating its 25th anniversary throughout 2007 and has over the years become the trusted friend of the motorhome and caravan enthusiast. With the constant influx of new enthusiasts requiring competitive insurance coming to Safeguard they feel it is important that new customers are made aware of the potential pitfalls of both buying and securing your vehicle.
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